Recovery Period
by writeallnight
Summary: Colby Granger was going to die.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This story takes place during and after Trust Metric. This first chapter delves into Colby Granger's thoughts as he is tortured. Enjoy!  


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Colby Granger was going to die, was preparing himself for it. He could feel his heart pounding painfully in his chest and he tried to focus on that rather than the white hot pain the rest of his body was experiencing.

He was losing track of time, and with it clarity of mind. He struggled to remain focused. He had to hold out until his team could find the boat. Because that's what this was all about, what it was all for. If he died and they never found the boat then all his work, all that he had given up, had sacrificed, was worth nothing.

More needles, more drugs, this guy was too professional to leave him alive, too smart. Colby had known him the moment he saw him. He'd seen him on a number of occasions, but hadn't known him well enough to suspect him. He had to hope Charlie was smarter, no, he knew Charlie was smarter, had to believe that.

He could hear Dwayne behind him. How he wished he had been bailed out by someone else all those years ago, hated that moment which had sealed his fate for the next six years.

Death was coming soon, he could see it in Lancer's eyes. They both knew that Colby Granger would never crack, never give up his country, his friends. His friends…the pain that lanced through him at the thought was worse than any of the physical pain he'd endured. It was enough to make him want to cry like a baby. They all thought he was a traitor, he would die here a traitor and they'd never know. Never know how much he cared about them, how much of him had died that day when Don interrogated him.

During his weeks in prison he had imagined a thousand scenarios where he was welcomed back with open arms. Now he knew he would never go back. He could see their faces: Don, Megan, Charlie, Amita, Larry, Alan, David. The people who had loved him, had been his family, different as they all were. He could almost smile when he thought about the first time he had visited CalSci. He'd thought his new boss was nuts, sending him to a bunch of math geeks to solve an FBI investigation. And then he'd been surprised at how real these people were. Yes they were quirky and no, he didn't always understand them, but he'd take a bullet for any one of them.

Alan Eppes. The man had treated him like a son. He'd always been welcome at that house for dinner or a beer. It was no wonder Don and Charlie had chosen the careers they did. The need to help others ran in the family.

Don. He was a great boss, a little tense at times, but he always got the job done and got them home. He cared about each one of them, had saved Colby's life on several occasions.

Megan. Colby still didn't know how he'd made it past her. There had been moments over the years he was sure she saw right through his excuses and knew that he was reporting on them. She knew how to push his buttons, and he pushed right back. It was so annoying how she was always right, but there was something comforting about that reliability too.

David. That pain was the worst of all. Colby could still see the tears in David's eyes during that interrogation. His best friend, his brother, he had completely let him down. Every time he thought about it, it was like a knife going through his heart. David would not forgive him quickly, and it hurt to think he had lost his trust.

The last syringe. Potassium chloride. The end was coming. He would die here, alone, and the people he cared about most would never know the truth. He had failed. His mission and his friends both. And for the first time, Colby Granger was afraid to die. Because all those other times he'd come close, he would have died fighting, and now he would die a failure.

Sirens, yelling, gunshots. Colby's heart began to pound. Someone had found them. Charlie. Thank God for Charlie. More yelling, Don's voice, and David's. Relief flooded him. He had not failed. Just as quickly it was gone again. One look in his torturer's eyes and he knew it was too late for himself. But it was okay. Lancer wouldn't get off the boat free. He watched Lancer prepare the syringe, heard Dwayne question him, and then braced himself. He felt the needle enter his chest and his vision began to blur. A gunshot, very close. His heart contracted painfully once, twice, and then he knew nothing.

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A/N: More to come! Let me know what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Colby became aware gradually. Was he dead? He groaned. Everything hurt. Wasn't the pain supposed to go away when you were dead? And what was all that annoying beeping?

Slowly Colby opened his eyes. A hospital? So, he wasn't dead, but then how…

"Hey," a voice said softly.

He tried to place it in his very foggy brain. With incredible effort he turned his head and saw Megan sitting next to his bed. "You gave us quite a scare. We were starting to wonder if you were ever going to wake up."

Colby's confusion showed on his face. He tried to speak, but his throat was raw and the oxygen mask complicated things further. "It's okay, Colby," Megan said quietly as she saw his distress, "we know everything. You're safe."

Colby's throat tightened as tears came to his eyes and began to flow down his face. He was so weary and in so much pain that he couldn't stop them. Sleep was crowding in again and he fought it. There was so much he needed to know. Megan reached out and took his hand. "Take it easy, Colb. Go back to sleep. I'll explain everything when you wake up."

Colby's eyes closed and he slid into darkness once more.

When he woke again he felt much more stable, although still weak and sore. The oxygen mask was gone, replaced by a nasal cannula. He tried to sit up and winced. The movement caused his head to pound and his muscles protested furiously, but he persisted and soon had himself in a semi-upright position. Megan re-entered then, a cup of coffee and a magazine in hand. "Hey!" she said spotting his struggle.

She quickly set down her purchases and came to his aid. "That's what the button's for."

She pushed the button on the side of the bed and it began to rise. She adjusted his pillows and then helped him ease back against them. Colby sucked in a breath sharply and then let it out slowly. "Thanks," he said, or tried. His voice barely came out and what did was hardly more than a croak.

"Here," Megan helped him sip a glass of water.

He swallowed several mouthfuls and then coughed in an attempt to clear his throat. This proved to be a bad idea; pain shot through his chest and it took him a moment to recover. Megan waited patiently for him to regain control. "What happened?" he managed at last to ask.

"Charlie found the boat, and we decided to come after you," Megan said simply.

"How did I-" Colby swallowed painfully, "the needle, it had potassium chloride-"

"He only got half of it into you before Dwayne shot him," Megan explained. "Your heart stopped and you weren't breathing. David got you onto the floor and did CPR until the medics got there. He saved your life, Colby."

She paused as Colby took this in. When he nodded she continued. "They had to shock your heart and intubate you, which is why your throat's so sore. They expect you to make a full recovery, but it'll be a few days before the drugs are out of your system. That's why you still feel like crap."

"So, am I in custody?" Colby asked after digesting this.

"No. You'll note the lack of handcuffs," Megan said wryly. "We're working on it, but that needle in your chest basically means you're innocent."

Megan watched him process all this information. "Colby, I'm sorry. I'm sorry we didn't trust you."

"You weren't supposed to. You did exactly what you should have done. You couldn't have known," Colby protested.

"That's just it, I think I did know, Colby. Deep down I knew you would never do something like this," Megan said.

"I didn't fit the profile, huh?" Colby said, cracking a smile.

Megan smiled. "Something like that," she answered.

Colby grew quiet. "Where's Dwayne?" he asked finally.

Now it was Megan's turn to grow quiet. Colby looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry, Colby," she said finally.

"Dwayne's been on the wrong side for a long time. He's not same guy I knew in Afghanistan," Colby shrugged.

"Doesn't make it hurt less," Megan said gently.

"Yeah," Colby sighed. "So, when can I get out of here?"

"You're going to be sticking around for a couple days. Up to a week."

"A week?" Colby groaned.

"You were clinically dead Granger. Take a couple days off," Megan told him.

"I can't believe you're still here," Colby said finally. "Aren't you pissed at me? I reported on you for two years."

"It was an assignment, Colby," Megan shrugged, "It doesn't mean you're someone different than the man I've known all that time. You did what you had to."

"Well, thanks," Colby said awkwardly. "Don't you have work to do? Isn't Don gonna be mad?"

"It's nothing that can't wait. I didn't want you to be alone when you woke up. I figured you'd want some answers. And you've been through a lot. I thought you could use a friend."

Colby felt tears coming on again. "I don't know what the hell's wrong with me," he said embarrassed.

"Some of it's the drugs, Colb," Megan said kindly. "And you have been through a lot. Your body's reacting to the trauma. Don't worry, you'll be your old, emotionless self in a day or two."

Colby cracked a smile. At that moment a nurse in her mid-fifties appeared. "Well, Agent Granger, I see you finally decided to wake up for us," she said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Is that a trick question?" Colby asked.

The nurse laughed as she adjusted some IV fluid. "My name's Judy. I'm the nurse in charge around here."

"Am I that important?" Colby asked.

"Well, your team seems to think you are," Judy informed him, exchanging a smile with Megan. "Now tell me, what's your pain like?"

"My head's killing me," Colby admitted. "I feel pretty weak."

"Tubocurarine will do that to you," Judy said, making a note on his chart. "Any dizziness or nausea?"

"Only when I move."

"Hmm…" she pursed her lips, "I'll see if we can get you something for that. Are you hungry at all?"

Colby shook his head slightly, suddenly tired again. "The doctor should be in a little later. Try to relax. Just push the button if you need me," Judy informed him, taking her leave.

Colby looked at Megan suspiciously. "You specifically requested the head nurse for me?"

"Well Granger, we don't want any of those pretty young nurses getting attached. You might never come back to us."

Colby chuckled slightly. "You really don't have to stay, Megan," he told her. "I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stay awake anyway."

"I'll stay until after the doctor comes," Megan said, picking up her magazine.

Colby tried to fight the fatigue, but it was a losing battle. "I'm tired of tired," he mumbled as he drifted off.

Megan smiled and then went back to her magazine.

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A/N: Don't get too excited, all the chapters won't be this long. :) Thanks to the many people who reviewed the first chapter! Please keep reviewing!


	3. Chapter 3

Colby woke again when the doctor came in about a half hour later. "Agent Granger, it's good to have you with us. I'm Dr. Kieffer," the man introduced himself. "Judy tells me you're not feeling so great."

"I've been better."

"I'm going to have you sit forward here and take a listen."

Dr. Kieffer listened to Colby's chest and back and then helped him ease back against the pillows. Colby's face was taut with pain. "Still pretty sore," the doctor noted. "We're going to get you on some stronger pain killers and some anti-nausea meds. We wanted to wait until some of the other drugs were out of your system."

He picked up Colby's chart. "You're still running a low grade fever. That's to be expected. We hope to see that continue decreasing."

"Why am I still so tired?" Colby asked quietly.

"You're very lucky," the doctor said seriously. "Even without the potassium chloride, the other drugs did some serious damage. We're optimistic that it won't be permanent, but you're not going to be getting out of this bed for at least another forty-eight hours. We're going to keep you here at least until the end of the week and then you're going to be on bed rest for at least another two weeks."

"You've got to be kidding me," Colby said incredulously.

"I never joke about medical matters," the doctor said briskly. "Agent Granger, you do realize the only reason you're still here is because they were able to keep you going with CPR until they could defibrillate you? If another drop of the solution had gone in, nothing they did could have helped you."

Colby sighed, too tired to fight. "I'll let you get some rest now. Let us know if you need anything," he nodded to Megan, "Agent Reeves."

"Doctor," she said as he left.

Colby's eyes were heavy as Megan rose. "I'm gonna head out Colby. Do you need anything?"

"No, thanks," Colby mumbled.

"Don will be by to see you tomorrow and I'll be back before you go home. Take it easy."

Colby couldn't even say goodbye. He was already adrift, and by the time Megan got to the door he was asleep once more.

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A/N: I bring you a gift! Since this chapter was so short I'm uploading two chapters at once!


	4. Chapter 4

Don made his way to the reception desk and met the eyes of a friendly looking nurse. "I'm looking for Colby Granger's room," he told her.

She clicked some keys and looked up. "Room 227," she said after a moment.

"Agent Eppes," Don turned and saw Colby's doctor coming toward him.

"Thank you," he told the nurse at the desk. "Hey, Doc. How's he doing?"

"His fever spiked again during the night. We had to put him back on oxygen, but we got it back down about two hours ago. He's feeling pretty awful, but he's moving along," the doctor told him.

"Thanks, Doc. I appreciate everything you've done," Don said, moving off down the hall.

Don had been able to breathe again when Colby was moved out of intensive care. Fear that the agent would die had been very real for Don, and the guilt over feeling like it was his fault had still not gone away. He had failed his agent. A man who had saved his life on several occasions. And yet, a man who had lied to him for two years. Who was Colby Granger? Don wasn't sure he knew, and it bothered him. He was confused and unsure what the next weeks were going to bring. Yet here he was, and he found himself torn between very much wanting to forgive Colby and welcome him back with open arms, and the feeling that as boss he should give him a harder time.

He found himself almost to Colby's room. To his surprise the door was open and he could hear a rather intense conversation going on inside. He frowned, and paused to listen.

"How did you come to be working with Kirkland?" a man asked.

"I already told you," Colby's voice was hoarse and tired, "Dwayne came to me and asked about the manual. I reported it, and Kirkland came to me and asked me to go undercover to ferret out the mole."

"And no one else can confirm this?" a second man asked.

"I was ferreting a mole out of the DOJ. They didn't exactly advertise it. But there might be one or two people in Kirkland's office who know."

Don had heard enough. He knocked the door and walked into the room. "What's going on here gentlemen?"

"Who are you?" the man closest to Colby asked.

"You I think the real question is, who are you?" Don asked angrily, pulling out his badge. "Special Agent Don Eppes, FBI. Out in the hallway please gentlemen."

"Now!" he said loudly when they exchanged glances.

Don followed them out into the hallway and pulled the door mostly closed behind him. "Now, you want to tell me what this is all about?"

"I don't appreciate your attitude," the second man said. "You are interfering with an NSA investigation!"

"What investigation?!" Don cried. "This is my case. My agent. He's on our side, we've already determined that. He's not a threat to National Security."

"We need to know what he knows," the first man said firmly.

"He can't even sit up yet!" Don yelled.

"Gentlemen please!" a nurse hissed at them. "This is a hospital!"

Don turned back to the other agents, his eyes hard. "You're done here."

"The NSA-"

"Can blame me. If Agent Granger somehow manages to commit a terrorist attack while lying in his hospital bed, I will take full responsibility. Until then, he will be interviewed by your agency when I decide he's ready. Now, if you'll excuse me, I came to visit my agent."

Reluctantly the agents turned and made their way down the hall. Don exhaled, trying to calm down, and pushed open the door to Colby's room. "Hey Colby, how are you feeling?"

"I've been better," Colby croaked. "Thanks for that."

Don felt his chest tighten as he looked at the man in front of him. Colby was pale and looked exhausted. "Yeah, don't mention it. How long were they here?"

"About forty-five minutes," Colby said as he shifted and winced.

"Well, look, I'll make sure they don't come back. If they want an interview you can go down to their offices when you're feeling better," Don assured him.

Colby nodded and then there was a long awkward pause as they both tried to find something to say. "I brought you these," Don said suddenly.

He placed several magazines on the nightstand. "Thanks," Colby said. "Soap operas get old pretty fast."

Another silence. "You look terrible," Don said finally.

"Yeah, the drugs really messed me up. Personally I think I'd rather have a guy beat the crap out of me," Colby said ruefully.

"Yeah," Don nodded in agreement, "at least then you know what to expect."

"I was afraid," Colby paused and looked down at the sheets, "I was concerned that I would lose control. That I would give in."

"You would never give us up," Don said firmly. "You wouldn't do that Colby."

He sighed. "Colby, look, I need to apologize. I should have trusted you."

"Don, it's not your fault," Colby shook his head. "What matters is that you trusted me enough to come after me. That I could trust you to find me."

He paused. "Why did you come after me?"

Don smiled. "Don't give up your day job buddy. I must have watched your confession tapes at least a dozen times. You're acting's not that great."

Colby laughed. "They don't exactly teach classes like that at Quantico," he sobered. "But seriously, thanks Don. I owe you guys my life."

Don shook his head. "Don't ever do that to me again. I never want to have to call your family and tell them you're gone."

There was a silence again, but this time it was comfortable. "Hey, my Dad's been asking about you. Would you feel up to it if he came to see you?"

"Yeah, I'd love to see him," Colby said. "I understand that I owe Charlie a lot too."

Now Don laughed. "I think it's a toss-up who believed you were less guilty; him or Megan."

Colby smiled tiredly. "I'm gonna head out," Don told him. "You need anything?"

"Break me out of here?" Colby asked hopefully.

Don smiled and shook his head. "No can do pal. I'll see you soon."

He turned to leave. "Don!" Colby called after him.

The older agent turned back. "How's David?"

Don looked at Colby. "He's good. Busy. We've had a lot of cases lately."

Colby nodded, and Don could see the sadness in his eyes. "Take it easy."

"Yeah. Thanks."

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A/N: Well, there you have it. As always I greatly appreciate all the reviews so far and I look forward to reading more!


	5. Chapter 5

Colby swallowed, took a deep breath, and in one, quick motion pushed himself to a standing position. He swayed on the spot and had to put a hand on the wall to steady himself, but he was on his feet. He took one slow step, then another. He looked down. As soon as possible he needed to find a pair of pants. This whole hospital gown thing was annoying him.

By the seventh step Colby was breathing hard and sweat was pouring down his face. He didn't have the energy to turn and go back to bed so he stood indecisively knowing that in a moment the choice would be made for him. Sure enough seconds later his legs refused to support him any longer. As the ground rushed toward him he thought about how embarrassing it was going to be to have a nurse find him lying on the floor.

"Whoa, Colby!"

A pair of arms caught him and helped him back to his feet. He turned to see the kind face of Alan Eppes.

Alan helped him back onto the bed. "You're not supposed to be out of bed, are you?" he asked.

Colby shook his head and tried to get himself under control. "Are you all right? Do you want me to get a nurse or something?" Alan asked worriedly, peering into the younger man's eyes.

Colby took a deep breath. "No, I'm okay, thanks."

He swung his legs back onto the bed and Alan quickly moved to help him get comfortable. "Well that took another year off my life," Alan said, settling back into the chair by the bed. "How are you feeling, Colb?"

"I'm getting there," Colby said wearily. "It's not too bad, although I'd really like to be able to go to the bathroom by myself."

Alan laughed. "I would imagine. When are they letting you out of here?"

"Hopefully by the end of the week," Colby said, "I have to test totally clean of the drugs so…"

Alan nodded. "You know Colby, I'm very glad you're not a traitor. I've become very fond of you and David and Megan. I'd hate to think my judge of character was so poor."

Colby met Alan's eyes and saw warmth and caring and felt a rush of gratitude toward his boss's father. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"Well, I wish I could stay longer, but I need to get over to CalSci. Oh, before I forget," Alan reached for the bag at his feet, "Megan went by your place and grabbed some things for you."

Colby reached for the bag eagerly and could have cried when the first thing he found was a pair of sweat pants. The bag also contained a change of clothes, his toothbrush, and the novel he'd been reading. "Thanks for bringing this," Colby said gratefully.

"It was no trouble, Colby," Alan said, and then, lowering his voice, "I would have brought you a beer but it's against hospital policy."

Colby smiled. "This is great. Thank you."

"Well," Alan rose, "don't be a stranger. Let us know if we can do anything for you."

"I will."

Alan left and Colby was once again alone. He looked down at his pants and smiled. It was good to know someone cared.

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A/N: Thanks for everyone's suggestions, grammatical and otherwise! Please keep reviewing, it helps me become a better writer!


	6. Chapter 6

"Mom, really, I'm fine. No, there's no need for you to come. Don't send Kelly either. I know she's my sister and she's worried about me, but there's no reason for her to come. They're letting me out tomorrow and then I'll just be at home. Yes, I promise I'll take it easy Mom. Okay. I love you too. Bye."

Colby hung up the phone and sighed. The last thing he needed was a family invasion. He loved his mom and sisters very much, but having them all descend on him was going to cause him more nightmares than actual rest.

"Hey stranger."

Colby looked up and grinned. "How's it going, Charlie?"

Charlie Eppes entered the room. "Wow, they weren't kidding. You look awful."

Colby snorted. "Thanks pal. You should have seen me a couple days ago. What brings you by?"

"My dad said you looked bored. I thought I'd stop by on my way to CalSci and help entertain you."

"What, did you bring me your favorite math book?" Colby asked with a smile.

"No, I thought I'd explain the value based algorithm I used to find the boat you were on," Charlie told him. "I'm kidding," he said when Colby didn't laugh.

"Oh, right," Colby said with relief. "Sorry, I'm still a little out of it."

"So, how are you feeling?" Charlie asked.

"I'm doing all right. Ready to get out of here," Colby said. "I understand I owe you a favor or two. I really appreciate everything you did for me Charlie. It took a lot of guts, standing up for me, and I don't know how I'm ever going to say thank you."

"I just," Charlie searched for the right words, "I couldn't believe you were guilty Colby. And I had the math to prove it. You've saved my skin so many times, I thought it was time I repaid my debt. You don't owe me anything."

"I owe you my life Charlie. Without you, I'd be sitting at the bottom of the ocean right now."

"That's not my doing. That was all Don," Charlie shook his head.

"You gave him your cell-phone and set this whole thing into motion. You didn't have to do that. And without your math, there's no guarantee that my team would have come after me."

"I should have gotten it done a little faster. Then maybe you wouldn't be in here."

"You're telling me that you feel guilty that I'm alive and in the hospital instead of fish food?"

"Well, when you put it that way…" Charlie said with a chuckle.

They sat in silence for a moment. "I don't mean to ask about something that's not my business, but was that your mom on the phone?" Charlie asked.

Colby shook his head. "Yeah, she seems to think she needs to fly herself and my sisters out here to take care of me."

Charlie winced in sympathy. "Well, at least you know they care."

"Yeah, but, I don't need them to see me like this. The less they know about what I do, the better. They weren't crazy about me joining the military. When I came back home they thought I was going to be doing some sort of safe desk job. I've never bothered to correct that assumption. There's no reason for them to worry."

"You sound like Don. That's part of why he left, didn't want our mom knowing exactly how close he was coming to the bad guys. But she knew, she always knew," he looked directly into Colby's eyes. "I'm sure they're very proud of you. You did a great thing Colby."

"It's just my job Charlie. Don or Megan, they would have done the same thing."

"But there are a lot of other people who wouldn't. Take the compliment Colby. You deserve it."

Colby nodded. "Thanks Charlie. Look, I think this goes without saying but, you know if you ever need me, I'm just a phone call away."

"Can you get Don to stop calling me Chuck?"

Colby smiled. "Anything but that."

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A/N: Well, here's the Charlie and Colby chapter some of you were looking forward to. Let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

Three days later Colby was being wheeled out the doors of the hospital, his small bag of possessions in one hand, a prescription for painkillers in the other. "You be sure and take it easy now agent," Judy said to him as he stood.

"I will. Thank you."

Judy turned and went back inside as Colby looked for the cab the hospital had arranged for him.

"Ready to go?"

Colby looked over and saw Alan Eppes walking toward him. "Alan?" he asked, confused.

"Megan called and told me you were getting out today. She couldn't get away so I thought I'd offer my services as chauffeur," Alan said. "So, how about it? Want a ride?"

Colby smiled and shook his head, following Alan to his car.

It took only twenty minutes to get to Colby's apartment. As they stepped out of the car Colby looked up and found himself wishing for the first time that he did not live on the third floor of a building with a broken elevator. The complex had been built in the late sixties and renovated ten years before Colby moved in. The elevator had broken a year after that and his landlord had never bothered to get it fixed. Until today, that hadn't been a problem. Alan caught the look on the agent's face. "You all right there, Colby?"

"Yeah, stairs have never been a problem before," Colby said dubiously.

"Well, we'll just take it one stair at a time," Alan said, grabbing Colby's bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

Colby found himself holding the railing for dear life by the time they reached the second floor. "Just take a second," Alan said kindly, "catch your breath."

Finally Colby nodded and they made it up the final flight. Alan gently pried Colby's keys from his fingers and unlocked the door. He helped Colby inside where the agent collapsed into an armchair. "I'll just put this bag in your room," Alan said as he went to do so. "Is there anything I can get you? Glass of water? The remote?"

He returned to the living room and found Colby fast asleep. Alan smiled and, after a quick trip to the kitchen, let himself out.

When Colby woke it was dark. He sat up slowly, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his neck. It took a moment for him to remember the events of the past weeks. When he did he sighed and with great effort heaved himself out of the chair. He flipped on the light and took a long look around the room. It was spotless. Far cleaner than he had left it. The familiar smell of fingerprint dust still hung faintly in the air. He shook his head. They must have torn this place apart. A least someone had had the heart to put it back together.

He meandered toward the kitchen. Spying a note on the counter he picked it up:

_ Colby,_

_There's soup in the fridge and bread in the pantry. If it's after 6:00 you need to take your pills. Call if you need anything._

_ Alan_

Colby dropped the note back on the counter. That was one meal taken care of at least. He'd have to go to the store in the morning to get the essentials. He sighed. That would mean braving the stairs again; on his own this time.

The agent steeled himself to open the refrigerator, which was undoubtedly infested with bacteria. The smell of spoiled milk alone was going to be enough to make him want to vomit.

He took a breath and opened the door. To his shock the soup was on the top shelf next to a fresh half gallon of milk, eggs, cold-cuts, and orange juice.

Then Colby smiled and shook his head. "Megan," he said quietly.

Of course Megan had come by and cleaned up his apartment and brought him groceries. She'd probably done his laundry and changed his sheets too.

A look at the clock told him it was nearly 7:00. He picked up the pill bottle and shook out two, then swallowed them with a glass of water. It was just in time too. Tiredness overwhelmed him and the dull ache he'd been feeling intensified to a sharp, insistent pain. He walked to his room, stripping off his t-shirt as he went. Sure enough, the bed was made far better than he ever made it, and a freshly laundered pair of sweatpants was waiting on his pillow. He pulled off his jeans and slipped on the sweats. No sooner had he done this than he collapsed on his bed and knew nothing for the next ten hours.

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A/N: Keep the reviews coming! I really appreciate them! More to come soon!


	8. Chapter 8

Colby was going out of his mind. Two weeks of lounging around in his sweatpants and watching Mythbusters was enough to make him want to jump out of a plane. The doctor had ordered no excessive physical activity, which meant the gym was out, although the heart pounding nightmares he kept having were probably worse than any workout. At least once a night he woke up drenched in sweat and gasping for air, feeling like he'd run five miles.

He was lonely, nearly desperate to talk to David, and hurt that his friend still hadn't called or initiated an contact at all. He'd hope that with time, David would come to understand what had happened. He'd figured with Don and Megan's forgiveness, David wouldn't be far behind. How wrong he'd been.

Colby was nearly ecstatic when the two weeks were up. He went for a check-up and was cleared to go back to work. On the drive home his happiness faded. He had no work to go back to. After he finally finished his interview with the NSA and convinced them he was not a threat to national security, he was told simply to "sit tight" until someone at the DOJ decided what to do with him. He sighed. Sitting at the bull pen couldn't be worse than sitting at home by himself.

He was wrong, it could be. He got stares the moment he walked in the door. It was made worse by the fact that he had to stand in line and fill out paperwork for a temporary ID until his regular badge was returned to him. By the time he hit the elevator he already felt like going home.

He reached the bull pen and had to take a deep breath before the doors opened. This was his workplace, with people he trusted and cared about. He shouldn't feel nervous, but he did.

Slowly he made his way to his cubicle, trying not to notice the sideways glances and whispers that followed him. Colby felt his heart sink. His desk was completely cleared off. It was like he'd never existed. He'd known they would take all his stuff down to Quantico, but it still felt like a punch in the gut.

He looked up and saw Don and Megan approaching. Once again David was absent. He scanned the room and finally found him in a conference room. Colby felt a flash of anger. This was getting ridiculous. Then Don and Megan were there and he wrenched his attention to them. "Emptied out my whole desk," he said uncomfortably. "You guys don't waste any time around here huh?"

"Yeah, they told us to send everything down to Quantico," Don said apologetically.

"Yeah, I could have figured," Colby replied.

"How are you feeling?" Megan asked kindly. "You look at lot better than the last time I saw you."

It had been two days after he'd gotten home. He'd been napping and having a nightmare when the doorbell rang and Megan came in to find him sweating and shaking. She'd stayed with him until he calmed down, which took nearly an hour.

"No permanent damage," Colby informed them, "at least not that I know of. Guess they just want me to sit tight here until I'm reassigned so…"

"Who knows how long that'll be," Don said rolling his eyes.

Colby shook his head. "I'm hoping they'll let me stay local. I really don't feel like packing up and moving."

"Well, you should have your choice of assignments after all this. Don't worry about it," Don said.

"Don." Liz walked over. "Hey Colby, good to see you."

"Good to be back."

"Don, we've got a match," Liz informed her boss.

"All right, let's go take a look. Colby take it easy today, all right?" Don said as he went to follow Liz.

"Like I have anything else to do," Colby muttered.

"Hey," Megan said, "give yourself a break. It's your first day back."

"Megan, I've sat around on my butt for two weeks," Colby said in frustration. "If I don't find something to do soon, I'm going to go out of my mind."

Megan put a hand on his shoulder. "It's not going to be much longer. Do some paperwork. I'm sure you'll hear from them in a day or two. I'll see you later."

Colby watched Megan walk away from him and it hurt. Not because she'd been mean, but because he so wanted to be a part of the team again. He glanced over again at his former partner's back. David seemed to be doing his best not to look in Colby's direction. He'd thought recovering was going to be the hardest thing. Now he knew it would be earning back David's trust. And if he couldn't earn that back, none of the rest of it would matter.

He sighed and looked at his desk again. Before he could start trying to get David's trust back, it looked like he'd have to make some phone calls. He needed his stuff back, which was going to be no easy task. He sat down. This was home. So how could he feel so alone?

* * *

A/N: And yet another chapter. A little longer this time and I promise there will be more action soon! Please keep reviewing!


	9. Chapter 9

"Colby!"

Colby's head snapped up and his eyes met Don's. "You feel up to helping us on this case?" his boss asked.

Colby simply nodded, words failing him momentarily.

"Good, Liz needs somebody to go out to Brett Chandler's place with her. See what you can find out."

Don walked away leaving Colby stunned. An investigation! They were letting him help! It wasn't with David, but at least it was something. "Granger, you ready?" Liz called.

Colby stood up so fast he nearly knocked his chair over. "Yeah, yeah let's go."

Liz briefed him on the twenty minute drive, which was mostly unnecessary. He'd heard and seen enough throughout the morning to put the pieces together. Dead girl, bathtub, movie star, it wasn't too hard to figure out why they were driving out to Brett Chandler's mansion.

What was more difficult was figuring out why he'd been invited on this little excursion. While everyone else was avoiding him and talking behind his back, she was busy inviting him to help with an investigation. If it had been Megan, it would have made sense, but Liz?

"Thanks for letting me team up with you on this one, Liz," he said as they got out of the car.

"Yeah," she said warmly.

"Seems like David wants nothing to do with me right now," Colby said, fishing for some hint as to why he'd been allowed to tag along.

"Aw, what do you expect?" she asked as they walked toward the house. "C'mon, you're a good guy Colby, but you've lied to him for two years."

"I lied to you too," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but only for six months. I'm less invested."

Colby smiled. Well that was a relief. Nice to know someone still thought he was all right.

"Besides, teaming us wasn't my idea. It was Don's."

Colby felt like he'd been punched. Don's idea? What was this, some kind of test? Send him out in the field with his girlfriend and then get her to report back? Colby felt his anger mounting. First David, now Don. Were things ever going to be normal?

"Oh, really, so you can keep an eye on me?" he asked tightly.

"Look, out on the field I'm just like any other agent, ok?" Liz defended herself.

"Right, except you're sleeping with the boss," Colby said disgustedly.

It was a low blow, but Colby was too angry to care.

"Look, Granger, I didn't partner with you so I could report you. You got it?"

Colby shrugged. "Sure."

He turned and walked toward the house. Better to just get this over with and get back to the office. He'd rather the stares and whispers than the feeling that his boss had just stabbed him in the back.

They were at the house nearly two hours interviewing guests and looking around the premises. It was plenty of time for Colby to start to feel guilty about what he'd said. Of course Don would be checking up on him. He was the boss, it was his job. Actually, if he was checking up on Colby it might mean he was considering letting him come back to the team, which was exactly what Colby wanted. Besides, it wasn't Liz's fault, and calling her out hadn't been the right thing to do.

When they got back in the car he knew he had to apologize. They drove in silence for a while as Colby tried to figure out what to say. "Look, Liz, I'm sorry," he said finally. "I guess I'm still a little on edge, you know? Everybody's looking at me funny and talking behind my back."

"Yeah, it must be tough," Liz said. "Colby, you know I would never let something like my relationship with Don compromise my job."

"I know. I appreciate that. I'm sorry."

Liz shook her head. "Don't sweat it Colby. If I were in your place, I probably would have thought the same thing. But don't ever say anything like that again," she warned.

"You got it. And for what it's worth Liz, I appreciate your support."

"You did what you had to Colby. I get that. Give them rest of them time. They'll come around."

"Yeah, maybe."

* * *

A/N: We're slowly but steadily getting there. Keep reading and reviewing!


	10. Chapter 10

"So, how does it feel to be back on the job?" Megan asked with a smile as she approached Colby's desk.

Colby shrugged. "It's all right?"

Megan's brow furrowed. "Just all right? I thought you'd be all over this."

"It's hard to be happy when your boss and your best friend don't trust you."

"Don's just doing his job, Colby. He has to make sure you're still on your game."

"Yeah, I know. It doesn't mean I like it though," Colby sighed. "David's never going to forgive me, is he?"

"Have you tried to talk to him?"

"It's hard to talk to someone who won't come within ten feet of you."

"So, go talk to him. He's not going to come to you, Colby, as much as you might want him to."

"He should understand."

"Yeah, he should."

With that Megan walked away, leaving Colby more confused than ever.

* * *

After another two hours of paperwork and research Colby knew he couldn't continue without a cup of coffee. He made his way to the break room just as Don was coming out, leaving David alone. "Thanks," he said as he passed Don, "Hey David."

He paused a second for a return greeting and when none came decided to plunge ahead. Maybe Megan was right, maybe he just needed to explain things. David was a smart man. He'd get it.

"Hey man, you, uh, really haven't given me a chance yet to say thank you."

There, that was a good start. A thank you; a verbal peace offering. "For what?" David asked, not meeting Colby's eyes.

"For saving my life man," Colby kept the smile plastered on his face despite the feeling that this conversation was going downhill rapidly.

"Goes with the job."

Okay, time for the direct approach. "David, c'mon, I don't want there to be all this weirdness, you know it's…"

"What do you mean? Two years not knowing who your best friend really is? What's weird about that?"

Colby lost his patience. "You don't think I didn't want to tell you that I was working undercover? I couldn't tell you David, you get that right?"

"Yeah man, I get it. And I respect it," David stacked the files in his hands. "Gotta get to work."

And with that he left. Colby turned and slammed his hands on the counter. So much for talking.

* * *

By the time 5:00 rolled around Colby was exhausted. His head had begun to pound and his back was screaming at him. "Go home," Megan told him firmly when he walked into the break room for a glass of water.

He shook his head. "You guys still need me."

"Not right now. You already brought in Brett and all his friends. There's nothing that can't wait until tomorrow. I'll tell Don. Just go, get some sleep."

Colby sighed, knowing she was right. He was no good to anybody tired. Better to come back tomorrow, fresh and ready to go.

So when the call came at 11:30pm he wasn't quite prepared. Nevertheless he drove out to the crime scene. Another victim. Perfect, something else to complicate the case. Not to mention the awkward moment that happened when he asked Liz why Don was with her and found out it was because they'd been together at Liz's place.

He got back home around 2:00am and fell into bed without undressing. As a result he slept through his alarm and had to forego his normal coffee stop to get to work on time.

The moment he got in the door Liz was shoving him back out and they were off to sort through Logan's stuff at Brett's. Then it was off to Charlie's to bring Amita Logan's laptop.

It was nice to walk into a place that was completely free of hostility. It was clear that Alan, Charlie, and Amita had completely forgiven him for whatever hurt he had caused them. Although, he hadn't been reporting on them for two years, which probably made their forgiveness easier to come by.

Amita was her ever helpful self and it wasn't long before they were back at the bull pen pushing through piles of paper and waiting to hear from David and Megan who'd gone out again.

The break they were looking for came in around 3:00. Liz and Colby drove over to Brett's for the final time, ready to make their arrest.

* * *

"Are you all right?" Megan asked, her eyes full of worry as Colby and Liz returned to the bull pen.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Colby said, glad he'd remembered to bring extra clothes to put in his locker.

"Colby!"

Now Don was on his way over. "Did you get checked out by the paramedics?"

"Why would I do that?" Colby asked confused.

"You just jumped from a second story balcony and then fell in a pool!" Megan cried.

"I jumped in the pool, I didn't fall in," Colby sighed. "And that's pretty standard stuff."

"Not when you just got out of the hospital," Don pointed a finger at him. "You're getting checked out."

With that he walked away. "I forgot how bossy he can be," Colby said.

"Only when he's right," Megan said, patting him on the shoulder. "Come on. I'll drive you."

* * *

Colby sat in his bedroom that night, having been declared in good health at the hospital, two letters in his hands. One was a letter congratulating him on being awarded the Medal of Meritorious Conduct. The other was one offering him a job in the D.C. office, the best offer he'd ever gotten. He had two weeks to decide where he wanted his next assignment to be.

Colby stood up and began to pace. This was ridiculous. All he wanted was to stay here. But if it was going to be like this, the constant stares and urgent whispers, maybe he would be better off going somewhere else and starting over.

He tried to picture it, life without Megan, Don, and David. David, damn it, David! Colby slammed his hands against the door-frame as tears welled up in his eyes. If David could just forgive him, things might be okay. Everyone else he could deal with if only David would be on his side.

Colby slid to the floor, leaning against the foot of his bed, crumpling the letters in his fists as he sobbed. If things were going to continue like this then he wished he had died on that boat. He'd wanted to survive so he could give them answers, and now…now he wished he'd never come to California at all.

* * *

A/N: We're almost there! I really appreciate everything everyone has said so far. Please keep reviewing!!


	11. Chapter 11

Five days after the homicide Colby arrived at the bull pen to find a box of his personal belongings waiting on his desk. He began to sort through them. Everything looked ok, nothing was broken as far as he could tell. "Hey is that your stuff?" Megan asked.

"Yeah, Quantico sent it all back. Minus some files and my datebook but…"

"Well, I'd really like it if someone cleaned off my desk," Megan said with a smile.

Colby chuckled. "Yeah, right."

Megan handed him a cup of coffee and he took it gratefully. "Thank you."

He looked up and saw David walking toward him, his face buried in a file, as if he were deliberately avoiding Colby's gaze. "Hey man," Colby tried. If David was going to ignore him then Colby was going to make it as difficult for him as possible.

David looked up briefly. "Hey," he said indifferently, and kept walking.

Colby shook his head and looked at the box again. His heart sank. It wasn't here. "I guess they didn't return all my personal stuff."

Don was walking by and stopped when he heard Colby. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm missing a paperweight and a fishing lure. A woolly bugger."

"A what?" Don asked with a smile.

"My, uh, my Dad made it for me it's…"

"A woolly bugger huh?"

David chose that moment to come over and interrupt, talking about a car crash. Colby only half listened, too upset to give the matter his full attention. The one thing in his desk that he valued most was gone. His dad had given him that fishing lure the day he died. Colby kept it on his desk always. And how he'd never see it again.

He watched Don and David walk away and sighed. He'd been left behind once again. Moving was looking better every day. D.C. was a long way from California, no one there would know what he had done. A fresh start could be good.

Colby spent the morning reorganizing his desk, all the time wondering if he was only going to be packing it all back up in a week. Right after lunch he got a call from Don asking him to do some research on speed racing. After an hour of work, something came up on his screen that made him smile. Time to pay a visit to his former partner.

"Hey David, I've been working on a list of known and suspected street racers."

"All right."

"Check it out," Colby handed David his research. "I found this: six cases of vandalism in five months on the same speed camera."

"Just two blocks from the accident site."

"Yeah, someone out there doesn't want to be caught going fast."

"Looks like you're looking at an all night stakeout man," David said.

Colby felt a surge of excitement. He'd thought he would have to suggest the stakeout, but if David was suggesting it, maybe that mean forgiveness was coming. "Yeah, you up for it?"

David looked up, but it was Don who answered. "Actually, you know what, why don't I take it?"

Colby's face fell in disappointment. "Why don't you take the night off? All right?" his boss told David.

Don walked away leaving Colby and David in awkward silence. David handed Colby back the files and Colby walked away feeling crushed. Just when he thought things were getting better, they fell apart again.

* * *

Colby and Don sat in awkward silence. Colby desperately wanted to ask his boss and mentor for advice about taking the D.C. job. And to be honest he wanted to know what the chances were of him rejoining the team. If Don even hinted that he still wanted him, then Colby would stay and put up with everything. It wasn't enough to have Megan on board, he needed David or Don to want to have him around.

"So, you want to know what I just learned?" Don finally asked. "The first speed trap camera was actually invented by a race driver, to improve his time."

Colby kept his binoculars trained on the camera. "Huh."

"C'mon man, you better have some conversation, all right? We're gonna be here a while you know."

Colby lowered the binoculars, seeing the small talk for what it was. He smiled uncomfortably, not sure what to say. "Nothing you want to talk about?" Don asked.

His boss knew him too well. "I dunno," Colby swallowed nervously. "I guess, uh, I guess the right thing to do is to take that D.C. job."

"Well, that depends what you want," Don said after a moment.

"Yeah well what I want, I mean is to go back and start over. Have a regular job at the Bureau, no lying, no pretending," Colby finally met Don's eyes. "You know?"

"Well then the question is, is can you be happy with a regular job with the Bureau?"

"I mean, that's what I set out to do. If I wanted to be a spy I would have applied somewhere else."

"Look, most of us have to do undercover at some point."

"Yeah, but not in your own office," Colby paused and then decided to take the plunge. "I don't know, what do you think are the chances of me coming back to work for the team?"

He didn't look at Don, steeling himself for the answer. When one didn't come he finally looked up, his heart sinking. He should have known. He had betrayed their trust, even when forgiven, nothing could change that fact. It was hard to go into a firefight having to look over your shoulder because you didn't trust who was supposed to be watching your back.

Don leaned forward, his gaze intense. "Check it out."

Colby raised his binoculars. He'd have to wait for his answer. It was time to go to work.

* * *

A/N: Poor Colby. His insecurity during these episodes always makes me sad. Keep up the reviews please!!


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: This is it! The end is in sight! When I first wrote this fic it ended about four chapters ago. I wanted to keep it kind of open ended. But, because of the high demand for a David and Colby reunion I revised it now the moment has arrived. Enjoy!

* * *

Colby sat staring at the screen in the conference room, a thousand thoughts running through his mind. He heard the door open and looked up to see David entering. This time he didn't bother with a greeting; his thoughts were too focused on this case, the poor people who had been killed and not gotten justice.

"Looking into the hit and run," David said casually.

"Yeah, the Kauffman's, the couple that died, they have no living relatives," Colby told him.

"Nobody to push the case once it went cold."

Colby nodded. "Yeah."

What could it hurt to try one more time? He might as well tell David what he was thinking, and hope that somehow it might get through. He took a breath, "You know David, when I was out on that freighter, I kept thinking if I die out here, a lot of questions go unanswered. My story never gets told. I'd just really like to find these people an answer."

There was a moment after he said it in which Colby felt the tiniest sliver of hope that he had at last reached his best friend, until David said, "What about Frank Fisher? Maybe that grill came off a car he used to own."

Colby sighed in defeat and turned to face David. He was tired of trying to communicate, sick of beating his head against the wall and getting nowhere. "Yeah only he's got an alibi."

Colby could play the professional courtesy game. If this was how David wanted it, this was how it was going to be.

* * *

"Long day?" Megan asked, coming to sit in Colby's chair.

Colby looked up from where he was sitting on his desk. "Yeah."

Megan saw the hurt in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Colby straightened up and sighed. "Do you think I should take the D.C. job?"

Megan answered in classic Megan style. "What do you want?"

"I want my life back. I want to be able to go to the break room and not have it clear out the moment I walk through the door. I want to give a report without feeling like somebody's double checking my work. I want to be a part of the team again."

Megan nodded. "Well, then I guess the question is, are you willing to keep working for what you want, or do you want to start over?"

Colby sighed. "So, you think I should stay?"

"I think you have to decide what you want."

Megan stood and gave his shoulder a squeeze, then went back to her own desk, leaving Colby miserably pondering his future.

* * *

Colby returned from CalSci the next morning and started looking for links between the cold case and the Fisher case, like Charlie had told him to. Around lunch time he saw David heading for the break room and quickly got up to go follow him. After considering for a long time, in fact all night, what Megan had said to him, he'd decided to give it another chance. Until somebody flat out told him he wasn't wanted, he was going to keep trying. He had too many memories here to just give it all up.

He pushed through the break room door and saw David fixing a cup of coffee. "Hey man, I was just about to go grab some lunch. You want anything? My treat," he added.

David glanced at him. "Nah, I'm not hungry."

Something inside Colby snapped. "What the hell is your problem David?"

David stopped on his way out the door. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't give me that bull crap!" Colby cried. "You have been ignoring me since the day I got back. If you hate me, just say it! That at least I could take. Just stop with the silence and the crappy excuses!"

"And what do you want me to say?" David rounded on him. "It's fine Colby, don't worry about it Colby, I understand Colby?"

"I don't care what you say, just say something!" Colby yelled.

David shook his head and looked away. Colby threw up his hands in frustration. "You want to take a swing at me? Would that make you feel better? Go ahead, I can take it."

"Don't be ridiculous," David said in disgust.

"Well what do you want me to do? Say I'm sorry? I've done that David, a thousand times, and nobody around here seems to give a crap."

"Do you get it?" David asked him. "You can't just come back in here after what you did and expect everything to go right back the way it was. You betrayed everyone, Colby. I told you things I've never told anybody else, and for all I know you went home and wrote them in a report that every single person in the NSA has read. So I'm sorry if I can't just let you right back into the club."

Colby looked at him helplessly. "I didn't want to do it, David. This was never the plan. You don't know how many times I almost told you. How miserable it was for me, having to betray my partner and the guy that saved my life at the same time."

David rubbed a hand across his face. "How do I even know the stuff you told me is true? For all I know your name's not even Colby."

"You do know me David. I'm still the same guy that likes to go fishing, drink beer, and watch Mythbusters. I grew up in Idaho, I have three sisters, my dad died when I was fifteen. All that stuff is true, David, all the important things I've told you are true. My being a spy doesn't change that."

David sighed. "Colby, man, I want to believe you. You have no idea-" he paused and took a deep breath. "I just, I can't make any promises. I'm sorry."

With that he left the room. Seconds later Megan came in. "You okay?" she asked.

Colby ran a hand through his hair. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Megan said, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "So, you're going to be sticking around for a while?"

Colby looked at her confused. "I just had a fight with David in the break room. Why do you think I'm staying?"

Megan smiled and took a sip of her coffee. "Because I know you."

* * *

Colby took a deep breath and dialed his phone. It rang twice before someone picked up. "Yes I'd like to speak to Ian Lockland. This is Colby Granger, FBI out of Los Angeles."

The secretary put him on hold and Colby waited nervously. He'd thought about what had happened in the break room. He'd thought about what Megan had said. He'd thought about the reasons he'd wanted to stay alive while he was on that freighter. All of it had made him realize one thing. "Hi yes, Agent Lockland? This is Colby Granger. Yes I was calling in response to your offer to come out to D.C."

* * *

The case wrapped up in a way no one had expected. It never ceased to amaze Colby how so often the perp ended up being the person you least suspected. Colby was doing some paperwork when he saw Don go into the break room and decided it was time to finish the conversation he'd started two nights before. Nervously he pushed the door open. "Hey Don."

Don looked up. "Hey buddy. Want some coffee?"

Colby thought drinking coffee might make him vomit with the nerves he was experiencing. "Yeah, that'd be great, thanks," he said in spite of himself.

He leaned against the counter and took a breath. "Just wanted to let you know that I, turned down the D.C. job."

He tensed, waiting for Don's reaction.

"Oh yeah? That's what you want, huh?" Don asked.

"I mean, what I want is to stay here and work with you guys; people I know, but I know that decision's not entirely up to me so…"

Colby's heart was pounding. If Don turned him down, he would feel like an idiot, and have no job. Don met his eyes and studied him for a moment. "All right," he handed Colby the cup of coffee. "I'll check into it."

Don left and Colby's face broke into an unchecked grin. He was staying here, with people who wanted him. The sense of relief that brought was like nothing Colby had ever felt. It took several minutes for him to remember that he still had work to do, and if Don was going to keep him around he should probably do it.

He finally left the break room still flying high and then was shocked when he spotted David bending over his desk. His former partner looked up and they locked eyes. David quickly looked away and walked off. Colby wrinkled his forehead in confusion and walked slowly back to his desk. That was when he saw it. His woolly bugger. He reached out and touched it. David must have gone to a lot of trouble to get this back. Colby smiled and couldn't stop the incredulous chuckle that escaped him. Now he knew what he suspected Megan had known all along. He was going to be all right.

* * *

A/N: Thanks to everyone for being so supportive! Any final reviews would be most appreciated!!


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